[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 30, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 30CFR57.4201]

[Page 323-324]
 
                       TITLE 30--MINERAL RESOURCES
 
  CHAPTER I--MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
 
PART 57--SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS--UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES--Table of Contents
 
                 Subpart C--Fire Prevention and Control
 
Sec. 57.4201  Inspection.

    (a) Firefighting equipment shall be inspected according to the 
following schedules:
    (1) Fire extinguishers shall be inspected visually at least once a 
month to determine that they are fully charged and operable.
    (2) At least once every twelve months, maintenance checks shall be 
made of mechanical parts, the amount and condition of extinguishing 
agent and expellant, and the condition of the hose, nozzle, and vessel 
to determine that the fire extinguishers will operate effectively.
    (3) Fire extinguishers shall be hydrostatically tested according to 
Table C-1 or a schedule based on the manufacturer's specifications to 
determine the integrity of extinguishing agent vessels.
    (4) Water pipes, valves, outlets, hydrants, and hoses that are part 
of the mine's firefighting system shall be visually inspected at least 
once every three months for damage or deterioration and use-tested at 
least once every twelve months to determine that they remain functional.
    (5) Fire suppression systems shall be inspected at least once every 
twelve months. An inspection schedule based on the manufacturer's 
specifications or the equivalent shall be established for individual 
components of a system and followed to determine that the system remains 
functional. Surface fire suppression systems are exempt from these 
inspection requirements if the systems are used solely for the 
protection of property and no persons would be affected by a fire.
    (b) At the completion of each inspection or test required by this 
standard, the person making the inspection or test shall certify that 
the inspection or test has been made and the date on which it was made. 
Certifications of hydrostatic testing shall be retained until the fire 
extinguisher is retested or permanently removed from service. Other 
certifications shall be retained for one year.

      Table C-1--Hydrostatic Test Intervals for Fire Extinguishers
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Test
                      Extinguisher type                         interval
                                                                (years)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soda Acid....................................................          5
Cartridge-Operated Water and/or Antifreeze...................          5
Stored-Pressure Water and/or Antifreeze......................          5
Wetting Agent................................................          5

[[Page 324]]


Foam.........................................................          5
AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam).............................          5
Loaded Stream................................................          5
Dry-Chemical with Stainless Steel Shells.....................          5
Carbon Dioxide...............................................          5
Dry-Chemical, Stored Pressure, with Mild Steel Shells, Brazed         12
 Brass Shells, or Aluminum Shells............................
Dry-Chemical, Cartridge or Cylinder Operated, with Mild Steel         12
 Shells......................................................
Bromotrifluoromethane-Halon 1301.............................         12
Bromochlorodifluoromethane-Halon 1211........................         12
Dry-Powder, Cartridge or Cylinder-Operated, with Mild Steel           12
 Shells \1\..................................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Except for stainless steel and steel used for compressed gas
  cylinders, all other steel shells are defined as ``mild steel''
  shells.